Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) is a non-motile Gram negative diplococcus that is pathogenic in humans. It colonises the pharynx and causes meningitis (and, occasionally, septicaemia in the absence of meningitis).
All pathogenic meningococci have a polysaccharide capsule. These polysaccharides form the basis of available vaccines against meningococcus serogroups A, C, W135 and Y, but they are inappropriate for use against serogroup B. There has thus been a great deal of research into identifying alternative antigens for immunising against serogroup B. Such alternatives have included proteins, the lipopolysaccharide, and outer membrane vesicles.
References 1 to 7 disclose various polypeptides derived from the genome sequence of a serogroup B meningococcus, and they select specific sequences for use in vaccines. Genome sequence for a serogroup A strain is disclosed in reference 8.
It is an object of the invention to provide further polypeptides for use in the development of vaccines for preventing and/or treating meningococcal infections. In particular, it is an object to provide polypeptides for use in improved vaccines for preventing and/or treating meningococcal meningitis. The polypeptides may also be useful for diagnostic purposes, and as targets for antibiotics.